HOLY FUCK...I started to write this exact same thing yesterday and pulled pole for fear of being lynched. Thanks Brian! Add me to the list of elitist cranky old fucks.

I wanted to jump on the elitist cranky old fucks bandwagon but being 26 I don't think I'm old enough to be considered cranky old, what am I ?

The good thing is that back then since getting into the sport required more money people actually took the time to research and read before investing. Back when I started my options as far as AEG went were either TM or CA and everyone told me that CA was shit.

I took the time to read every useful section of this forum and another bunch of reviews online before buying my first gun and when I showed up to my first game I knew all the basic safety rules without anyone telling me what they were and for my first 4-5 games I just stood there quietly and listened to what the old guys had to say.

What's happening now is that people can simply spit out a mere 100$ and then show up to a game thinking they know it all. It's true that not everyone will be like that but it's those jerks that will stand out from the pack of new players. People don't care anymore about knowing how the sport and the community works, they just want to shoot people with gun that looks real.

I do hope that this whole thing will sort itself out otherwise private games will be the way of the future....anyway for me.